In a bid to ease traffic congestion, Parliament in July 2025 approved a bill put forward by DISY MP Dimitris Demetriou, introducing the mandatory removal of vehicles involved in minor road collisions. The aim is to prevent traffic build‑ups and reduce secondary risks caused by cars remaining on the road.
Under the legislation, vehicles involved in a collision may be moved provided there are no injuries and no complaint of injury has been made. Drivers must ensure their documents are valid, that no police presence is required and that vehicles can be moved safely without towing or causing further damage. The move must also be safe for other road users and traffic flow.
Drivers are required to immediately notify their insurers, exchange details and document the scene by photographing the position of vehicles, registration numbers, damage and surroundings before moving their cars.
Fines
Because the law remained largely unenforced in practice, its sponsor returned with an amendment introducing financial penalties for non‑compliance, approved in late April.
The revised law makes non‑compliance a criminal offence, punishable by a fine of up to €1,000. The same penalty applies to anyone who encourages or pressures a driver not to move a vehicle or to ignore the required procedures.
Despite the introduction of fines, the law is still not being applied effectively. This is evident on a daily basis. In many cases, the rule has not yet been embedded in road culture, whether due to lack of awareness or drivers’ reluctance to move vehicles before insurers arrive.
Disruption continues
As a result, congestion caused even by minor collisions remains a daily occurrence, affecting thousands of drivers and undermining the law’s core objective.
The issue is no longer the absence of legislation, but its enforcement. This requires systematic public awareness, effective policing and, above all, a shift in mindset.
Those who continue to ignore the law, whether through misunderstanding or indifference, must recognise that laws are not optional. If compliance cannot be achieved through awareness alone, the €1,000 fine may prove to be the most effective reminder.
